Johnny Marr / Instagram: "Back in the same spot 38 years later. Camden Electric Ballroom. 21st May 1983."

Not a usual post from Marr:

FWD.

 

[Watson]

Read his press cuttings. Read the online diatribes. They continually bring up the quotes that the NME claimed were racist in their hit piece, they falsely claim that he supported the National Front by flying the Union Jack in 92, they say this has been a pattern for 40 years.

The NME journalists are still working.

They've written Guardian articles in the past 5 years.

They've written for online publications like the Quietus.

They tweet relentlessly.

The NME's immigration hit piece happened because the editor thought the Madstock allegations were real - & I know that for a fact.

Journalists would not have amplified his likely to be fleeting interest in an unelectable vegan if they realised the NME had been using skinheads to take a pot shot at his sexuality.

Thank you Karen, Surface and Gregor for having the knowledge and dignity to have a really interesting discussion about this without resorting to infantile name calling. It's made for a very engaging read. For what it is worth, I think you are all correct. The damage started with Madstock and the NME bashing that followed, but the success of V&I proved that this damage was only minimal...the real problems started with some very ill advised comments around 2017. He has a lot of ground to make up, but he is well on the way now. Ultimately though, it is the quality of his next set of songs which will decide how things pan out for the foreseeable future.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

Maybe the seeds were sown in 1992, but the real, proper damage was made in 2017, 18, 19 and so on. Morrissey was still, generally, treated with respect in the years prior to 2017. And between 2003-2009 he was nearly hugged to death, even. Nobody really thought he was racist back then, but it's what most people seem to think nowadays.

 

[Thewlis]

That’s not due to his comments but to social media which means people cannot and will not have any subtle or well thought out opinions. If is either black or white, which is sad. Morrissey hasn’t changed but the world has.

Had Twitter of FB existed in 1992 he would have had the same ‘problems’ he has now. But thankfully people in those days were better informed and not forced to be in one camp or the other.

 

[Deleted member 29417]

Maybe the seeds were sown in 1992, but the real, proper damage was made in 2017, 18, 19 and so on. Morrissey was still, generally, treated with respect in the years prior to 2017. And between 2003-2009 he was nearly hugged to death, even. Nobody really thought he was racist back then, but it's what most people seem to think nowadays.

The seeds are the real proper damage.

No one would have twisted his words so vehemently without it.

 

[Gregor Samsa]

The seeds are the real proper damage.

No one would have twisted his words so vehemently without it.

I disagree. Madstock might have made it easier for people to dismiss him as a racist once and for all, but had it not been for the stuff he said about immigration and supporting For Britain, everything would have been fine and dandy. He would have been considered difficult, grumpy, miserable etc etc, but not racist. That wasn't the common opinion on Moz in the years leading up to 2017.
Like I said: "Morrissey was still, generally, treated with respect in the years prior to 2017. And between 2003-2009 he was nearly hugged to death, even. Nobody really thought he was racist back then, but it's what most people seem to think nowadays."

 

[Deleted member 29417]

I disagree. Madstock might have made it easier for people to dismiss him as a racist once and for all, but had it not been for the stuff he said about immigration and supporting For Britain, everything would have been fine and dandy. He would have been considered difficult, grumpy, miserable etc etc, but not racist. That wasn't the common opinion on Moz in the years leading up to 2017.
Like I said: "Morrissey was still, generally, treated with respect in the years prior to 2017. And between 2003-2009 he was nearly hugged to death, even. Nobody really thought he was racist back then, but it's what most people seem to think nowadays."

He didn't say anything bad about immigration - the editor of the NME set that up & editorialised it because he thought the Madstock allegations were real & it was a hot topic in 2007. Things were then interpreted or inferred from that.

He clearly said he thought Anne Marie was being lied about & that he despised racism & fascism - that was dismissed because of the myth that he'd supported the National Front & used racist imagery in 92.

The hot-takes get written, it hits social media, they look for more outrage in everything he says & he's in real trouble.

I expect the UK press will start a reverse ferret even if he stays unstable - & that will filter into social.

 

[Vegan Cro Spirit 444]

Moz just sold OUT a residency in Vegas, and CURATED an entire RIOT FEST by himself.

NME and Guardian are blogs with 0 readership reduce to begging the readership for their daily food, a media equivalent of

the JOHNNY FOKO MARR docile trolls are very annoying, congratulating themselves. 'thank you fellow docile troll, for posting
le inspired pap".
Face it docile trolls, your idol is done. put a fork in him.

 

[Darius Meo]

I think this is absolutely correct. Similarly, there is an equally childish and also misguided inclination to be overly dismissive towards and critical of Marr in order to somehow underline your Morrissey fandom. As if liking and respecting both is impossible.

You make an interesting point, but I feel you are missing some nuance from those critical of Johnny Marr. I would imagine that most people posting here are actually big fans of Johnny - as a genius guitarist and overall top musical talent. The criticism is that he is bizarrely attempting to pass himself off as a singer and song lyricist. He is absolutely terrible at both and he was deeply misguided to pursue this path. If Morrissey suddenly strapped on a guitar and decided to tour as lead guitarist for his band the people posting here would be similarly critical, I think.

 

[Anonymous]

You make an interesting point, but I feel you are missing some nuance from those critical of Johnny Marr. I would imagine that most people posting here are actually big fans of Johnny - as a genius guitarist and overall top musical talent. The criticism is that he is bizarrely attempting to pass himself off as a singer and song lyricist. He is absolutely terrible at both and he was deeply misguided to pursue this path. If Morrissey suddenly strapped on a guitar and decided to tour as lead guitarist for his band the people posting here would be similarly critical, I think.

So you're saying people should never change or evolve and just stay in their lanes. It's remarkable to me that as musical as Morrissey is, he's never learned a musical instrument well enough to play onstage or even write a song by himself in the decades he's been making music.

 

[Surface]

You make an interesting point, but I feel you are missing some nuance from those critical of Johnny Marr. I would imagine that most people posting here are actually big fans of Johnny - as a genius guitarist and overall top musical talent. The criticism is that he is bizarrely attempting to pass himself off as a singer and song lyricist. He is absolutely terrible at both and he was deeply misguided to pursue this path. If Morrissey suddenly strapped on a guitar and decided to tour as lead guitarist for his band the people posting here would be similarly critical, I think.

That’s your opinion and that’s fine, however , people buy his albums and he has just been signed by BMG so others have a different opinion.

 

[Anonymous]

You make an interesting point, but I feel you are missing some nuance from those critical of Johnny Marr. I would imagine that most people posting here are actually big fans of Johnny - as a genius guitarist and overall top musical talent. The criticism is that he is bizarrely attempting to pass himself off as a singer and song lyricist. He is absolutely terrible at both and he was deeply misguided to pursue this path. If Morrissey suddenly strapped on a guitar and decided to tour as lead guitarist for his band the people posting here would be similarly critical, I think.

I guess Johnny is so terrible he's on both the BBC Radio 6 and Radio 2 playlists this week.

BBC - BBC Radio 6 Music Playlist

Check out this week's playlist

www.bbc.co.uk

BBC - Radio 2 New Music Playlist

Check out this week's Playlist

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[NealCassidy]

Support act! 😆😆😆😆🤪🤪

 

[Surface]

Support act! 😆😆😆😆🤪🤪

Looks like his management/BMG have a strategy for getting his music out to a wider audience.